Ranier Limited

Harefield Cardiac Limited

Geoffrey Thomas Andrews

Robert Adam Snell

Scott Johnson

Martin Cable

Jonathan Lawson

Anthony Francis Johnson

Asghar Khaghani

Christopher Bowles

Nigel Gordon Smith

A process for making a polymeric product having a gradual variation in modulus through at least a portion of the product is disclosed together with an artificial spinal disc formed using the process.

High precision manufacture of polyurethane products such as spinal disc implants having gradual modulus variation

A process for making a polyurethane, comprising reacting a multifunctional isocyanate, a polyol and, optionally, a chain extender, wherein at least two reagents selected from the isocyanate, the polyol, the chain extender, any mixture thereof and any pre-polymer formed therefrom, are intensively mixed prior to being reactively extruded, to form a polyurethane having a predetermined stoichiometry and thermal history. The polyurethanes obtained by such a process are of highly consistent composition and are, thus, especially suitable for use in the medical device industry.

Precision polyurethane manufacture

High precision manufacture of polyurethane products such as spinal disc implants having a gradual modulus variation

An instrument for preparation of vertebral endplates and a method of preparing a surface of a vertebral endplate are described. The instrument includes a body having a frame, an endplate preparation member supported by the body, and a pivot point. A tilt axis is perpendicular to and intersects a sweep axis at the pivot point. The endplate preparation member is coupled to the frame and controllably pivotable in an arc about the first tilt axis to change a tilt of the endplate preparation member. The endplate preparation member is also controllably pivotable in an arc about the sweep axis while maintaining the tilt of the endplate preparation member. By sweeping the endplate preparation member at incrementally larger tilt angles, recesses in a vertebral endplate surface are gradually formed, which may allow greater precision and control of a depth of the recesses and reduce stress on the vertebral endplate, as opposed to more aggressive techniques.

Endplate preparation instrument

The present invention relates to a balloon portion for a balloon catheter for radially expanding a vessel in the body of a mammal, which catheter comprises a tube portion with a passage therethrough and a hollow expandable balloon portion defined by a fluid impervious wall and secured to the tube portion, which balloon portion can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid passed through the passage, characterized in that: The invention also provides a balloon catheter in which the balloon portion is a balloon of the invention. The invention further provides a method for making the balloon catheter of the invention.

Balloon catheter

A blood circulation assistance device (), for location around a blood conduit (). The device comprises: an inflatable bladder () moveable between a contracted form and an expanded form, for compressing the blood conduit () to provide counterpulsation. Pump means () in fluid communication with the bladder () move the bladder () from the contracted form to the expanded form. The pump means () comprises a centrifugal impeller () rotatable about an axis () to effect pumping. The impeller () is moveable axially between first and second positions to effect a reversal of the direction of pumping. Control means (), in communication with the pump means, is capable of monitoring the cardiac cycle of an individual and triggering the pump means () to move the bladder () to the expanded form at diastole. An outer cuff, surrounds at least a portion of the bladder (), providing an outer limiting extent to the movement of the bladder ().

Blood circulation assistance device

A method of manufacturing a balloon portion for a balloon catheter for radially expanding a vessel in the body of a mammal, which catheter comprises a tube portion with a passage therethrough and a hollow expandable balloon portion defined by a fluid impervious wall and secured to the tube portion, which balloon portion can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid passed through the passage, such that:

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Geoffrey Thomas Andrews